
LIFE OF CHRIST.
27
daily reading of prayers and singing the " Hallel,"—" Praise
Ye Jehovah." Josephus says that the festival was also called
" Lights."
z. There seemed but one retreat left for the persecuted Son of
God. He had been rejected in Galilee, and now in Judea His hte
was threatened. But His life was yet to be extended. Jerusalem
was the only place where fanatical zeal abounded enough to put to
death such a being (Luke 13 : 34). So Jesus retired temporarily
to the half-heathen country of Perea, east of the Jordan.
3.
Moses had said that on certain considerations, divorce was
lawful. The rabbis had so construed the Hebrew word used by
Moses to convey the cause for divorce, as to make it cover the
most frivolous excuse. The whole thing, however, seems to be
summed up in this: If one saw any other woman which pleased
him more than his wife, the excuse for divorce was an easy matter.
In the eagerness of the Pharisees to tempt Christ, and to entangle
Him in His talk, they pressed the matter upon Him. But the
Lord's answer was discreet and silencing, and they failed in their
object. It seems that, having determined on the death of Christ,
and desiring to shield themselves before the people from the charge
of putting Him to death, the question was put at that time, and in
the studied form it was, that it might involve Christ in the difficulty
which caused the death of John the Baptist. Herod Antipas, in
whose dominion Christ was then staying, was a noted adulterer,
and if Christ could be drawn into a position which would be a
condemnation of Herod's course, that ruler might be induced to
put the hated Nazarene out of the way.
4.
Christ told the disciples, in substance, that all men could not
receive their idea of the question. There were some, indeed, who
must live single lives by circumstances of birth, or constitution; and
some because of the mutilation endured through the cruel practises
of bond-masters. Others there were of this class who, by special
vow, had withdrawn themselves from society for the kingdom of
heaven's sake. These were not better than others, but simply
different.' The marriage institution was created by Christ in Eden
for a wise purpose, and must still be necessary, even though sin
has overspread the world. 1 Cor. 7 : 2.